Janusz Walus

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 1997: Janusz Walus, Chris Hani’s killer during his amnesty hearing at Benoni Town Hall. (Photo by Gallo Images/Oryx Media Archive).

“Chris Hani wasn’t Christ”, lawyer argues, as Janusz Walus appeals for parole

Julian Knight wants his client treated “just like any other murderer”.

Janusz Walus

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 1997: Janusz Walus, Chris Hani’s killer during his amnesty hearing at Benoni Town Hall. (Photo by Gallo Images/Oryx Media Archive).

Janusz Walus, the man who gunned down Chris Hani in 1993, has launched yet another appeal to be released on bail this week.

He is due to appear in the North Gauteng High Court to have his case heard on Tuesday morning. As reported by TimesLive, Walus’ lawyer is done pretending his client is anything other than a murderer – in fact, that’s what he’s basing his defence on:

“Like any other murderer, he deserves to be paroled. You cannot say that Hani’s life is worth more than others. We have to be careful not to elevate his status to some sort of Christ-like figure.” – Walus’s attorney, Julian Knight.

Who killed Chris Hani?

Hani was shot in cold blood by the extreme right-wing fanatic, Janusz Walus, when returning home to Dawn Park (Boksburg) on 10 April 1993. The Polish immigrant ended up embroiling a Conservative Party MP into the investigation too, as Clive Derby-Lewis’ supplied the gun to carry out Hani’s assassination.

Both men were given death sentences for the murder. However, their lives were spared by the grace of Nelson Mandela’s newly-elected government. They opted to remove the death penalty from South Africa’s constitution.

Had it not been for the diplomacy of Madiba, Hani’s murder could’ve kept the country divided for years to come. Mandela’s plea for calm – delivered very presidentially before he rose to power – did enough to keep the path to democracy clear.

Janusz Walus’ attempts to get parole

Walus has seen a previous appeal for parole accepted, only for it to be overturned by the Supreme Court of Appeal. Justice Minister Michael Masutha has stated that the killer’s blatant lack of remorse has held him back from his own freedom.

His upcoming court appearance will be attended by the Hani family as well as supporters of the Communist Party, where the revolutionary had such a huge influence.